What’s been happening?

Sorry I haven’t been around the past couple of weeks, I have been busy. Each year I help with a toy appeal in my area, to ensure that kids in my area all get some toys on Christmas day. Its heart breaking to think some kids get nothing as their parents simply don’t have enough money to spare. Well this year I sorted it out so each child will be getting loads, it was my most successful one and I feel so proud.

So after doing 13hr shifts at work and running around doing my own families shopping I can finally relax. All the toys have been dropped off at the various charities and have been wrapped and ready to go!

I have been keeping busy though on the allotment, usually in the dark! I put my Broad beans in November and they are finally poking through. The soil was still reasonably warm so with the help of a make shift cloche to protect them from the 90 mph winds – here they are!

To be honest I’m shocked it stood up to the wind but it did! Each year you learn how to make your constructions a tiny bit better. Also you find out a little bit more on which seeds to use at what time of the year. These are over wintering beans they are called ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ AGM. They grow long green pods filled with lush big beans, Which can be sown in spring or autumn and take about 25 weeks to pod up! Nice to keep some parts of my allotment busy through the winter, whilst I thumb through seed catalogues and dream up next years planting scheme.

Here’s a picture of my home made cloche, just after I made it and a month on, you can see the broad beans just poking through!